Vol. 78, No. 45
VISIT GOSPORT ONLINE: www.gosportpensacola.com
November 14, 2014
Big crowd turns out for Blue Angels NAS Pensacola marks 100 years with the team’s homecoming air show; see pages 4-5 for photos Story, photo by Janet Thomas Gosport Staff Writer
The Blue Angels closed out the 2014 season in spectacular fashion with the annual homecoming air show Nov. 7-9 at Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP). An estimated 189,000 enthusiastic fans turned out for the three-day event, which included a practice run and two full shows at Forrest Sherman Field. The show, part of the yearlong celebration for the 100th anniversary of NAS Pensacola, also marked the first time the U.S. Navy flight demonstration squadron has performed a Sunday Show at NASP. “This year marks the centennial anniversary of NAS Pensacola, so literally Pensacola has supported us for 100 years,” said NAS public affairs officer Patrick Nichols. “This air show is our way of saying ‘thank you’ to the city, county and surrounding areas for their continued support.” The Blue Angels gave
68 performances at 35 locations in 2014. The Pensacola show was a definite treat for hometown fans after the team was grounded for much of 2013 due to sequestration cuts. “Everybody missed the Blue Angels when they weren’t here last year, so this makes it that much more special,” Nichols said. The weekend began with the Blue Angels parked on the flight line for a special night show featuring pyrotechnic acts and fireworks culminating in the “wall of fire” – an explosion of flames behind the F/A-18 Hornet jets. The Blues were the main attraction on the official show days along with the team’s C-130 Hercules transport known as “Fat Albert.” The show also featured a number of other military and civilian acts. Highlights included the Budweiser Clydesdales, the flame-throwing Shockwave Jet Truck driven by Neal Darnell and U.S. Air Force Academy Wings of
The Blue Angels, the U.S. Navy’s flight demonstration team, prepare for take off Nov. 8 during the 2014 homecoming air show at Naval Air Station Pensacola. An estimated 189,000 people turned out for the three-day event, which was part of the yearlong celebration for the 100th anniversary of NAS Pensacola. The team preformed a practice run and two full shows at Forrest Sherman Field.
Blue Skydiving Team. Aerobatics performers included John Klatt in his “Screamin’ Sasquatch” Jet Waco, David Martin in his Brietling CAP 232, Roger Buis in “Otto the Helicopter” and Gene Soucy with wing walker Teresa Stokes. There also were 50 static displays. Many people stopped by to get a look
at an F-35C Lightning II fighter from the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101), which is based at Eglin. VFA-101 Executive Officer Cmdr. David Dorn, who was on hand with other members of the squadron to answer questions, said it marked the first time the plane was on display to the public.
The homecoming show in Pensacola also marks the beginning of the new season for the Blue Angels, said MC2 Andrea Perez, Blue Angels public affairs assistant lead petty officer. New incoming pilots and support personnel will begin training, she said. Pilots who are leaving are Navy Lt. Cmdr. John Hiltz,
Marine Capt. Brandon Cordill and Navy Lt. Cmdr. David Tickle; and the three new pilots are Navy Lt. Matt Suyderhous, Navy Lt. Andrew Talbott and Marine Capt. Jeff Kuss. Tickle said he was going to miss being with the
See Blues on page 2
NETSAFA hosts Indonesian senior military delegation By Lt.j.g. Mike Hathaway NETC PAO
A group of senior military officers from Indonesia, including six admirals and one brigadier general, visited Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Nov. 5-6 as part of a tour of four naval installations across the United States. Following a welcome by Rear Adm. Mike White, commanding officer of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), and Capt. Doug Heady, commanding officer of Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA), the visitors were briefed on NETSAFA’s mission coordinating training support to international governments and organizations, to include aviation training to all foreign national flight students. “The visit, briefings, and command discussions provided a valuable window into U.S. naval aviation education and training, and will serve to assist in development of similar programs for the Indonesian Navy,” said Heady. “This is of increasing importance as the Indonesian Navy undergoes force moderniza-
Cmdr. Robert Higgins, director of NAS Pensacola’s Aviation Survival Training Center (ASTC), explains escape techniques from submerged aircraft to a group of senior military officers from Indonesia, following a demonstration of the “helo dunker.” Photo by Mike O’Connor
tion and seeks to increase their operational capacity.” The afternoon included command briefs and tours
of both Naval Aviation Schools Command (NASC) and Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC), allowing the visitors to meet with both schools’ commanding officers. NASC and NATTC provide the academic and technical training to prepare aviators and aviation technicians, both officer and enlisted, for the fleet. Before their departure to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pautuxent River, Md., the next stop on their tour of Naval installations, the group was given the opportunity to see aviation survival swim facilities including the “helo dunker” which trains personnel to escape from an aircraft in the water. All flight students, including foreign nationals, must successfully complete water survival training in order to advance to the next phase of flight training. Maj. Jeff Pogue, from the Office of Defense Cooperation (ODC) Indonesia, was very impressed with the group’s visit to the Pensacola area. “Being able to see first-hand the full spectrum of aviation maintenance training, personnel management
See Visit on page 2
It was worth it, ʻbecause the world is still freeʼ … World War II veteran Fred Reichmann (left) attended the Veterans Day Parade in downtown Pensacola Nov. 11. Reichmann, today 90 years old, served as a waist gunner onboard Boeing B-17 bomber aircraft in the 303rd Bomb Group, 358th Squadron, based in England. Tech Sgt. Reichmann flew 28 missions from 1944 to 1945, hitting such targets as Berlin, Leipzig and the Rhur valley. “Anything Hitler owned,” Reichmann said. From his view, German fighters were few late in the war but there was plenty of German antiaircraft fire. “The flak was bad,” he admitted. “We were lucky we didn’t get hurt.” On Veterans Day he came to recall his crew and others who served. It was worth it, he noted, “because the world is still free, thanks to the veterans.” (Right) The U.S. Navy Cracker Jack Marching Unit from Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC) passes through the intersection of Palafox and Main streets. Photos by Mike O’Connor
Published by Ballinger Publishing, a private firm in no way connected with the Department of the Navy. Opinions contained herein are not official expressions of the Department of the Navy nor do the advertisements constitute Department of the Navy, NAS Pensacola or Ballinger Publishing’s endorsement of products or services advertised.